


Can't Help Getting Lost

by AwayLaughing



Series: All The Days That Have Passed [7]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Head Injury, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, M/M, Major Character Injury, Natural Disasters, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 22:26:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1874724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwayLaughing/pseuds/AwayLaughing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No one on my team is dead until I say they are."</p><p>And Neji's the last person who's going to give Nara Shikamaru an excuse to take an eternal nap.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge from [here](http://awayandlaughing.tumblr.com/post/68217772129/30-day-otp-challenge-for-the-fluff-impaired)
> 
> Day 7 - Lost and/or Stranded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an 'update' of the original work, in that it's better in my opinion.
> 
>  
> 
> [Day Three - Lost/Stranded](awayandlaughing.tumblr.com/post/68217772129/30-day-otp-challenge-for-the-fluff-impaired)

Neji gasped for air as a tree – the whole fucking tree – clipped his side and almost sent him tumbling into the rapidly rising water. Ahead of him he could see Shikamaru wading through the stream, hoisting a small child up. The rain made for poor visibility, the muddy waters which were quickly threatening to overwhelm them didn't help. He tried to call out to Shikamaru to see if he knew where their comrades, or the Suna team they'd run into, was, and got a mouth full of the water for his trouble. Spitting it out, he barely managed to grab hold of two people rushing past, caught in the flood waters.

 

It was a little girl, clinging to a woman who was unconscious, though his activated Byakugan said she was alive, if barely. Pulling the girl off her, he hoisted him into his arms. “Hold on,” he yelled into the child's ear. Immediately two little arms locked around his neck, and Neji was able to pull the woman over his shoulder, wincing as abused ribs and muscles were pulled and pummelled by the unrelenting water.

 

Fighting the crush he waded toward Shikamaru, who'd managed to fish a second person out himself. “We need to go,” the Nara yelled once Neji was practically in touching distance. Neji nodded. The storm had been going just short of ten minutes now, and all ready it was chest high on Neji, having started off as an empty bed. They'd tried to evacuate earlier, but the locals had been leery of leaving their village on the word of trusting four foreign ninja. By the time the Suna team arrived to vouch for them, it was too late.

 

“High ground,” Neji yelled back, jerking his chin toward the mountain foothills. It was where they'd sent the Suna genin and the villagers alike. He scanned for anyone else coming their way as they pushed toward the safe zone, but knew that anyone they met here, now, was likely dead. Even with years of training in strength and chakra control the water was very almost too much to handle. Combined with carrying a woman and a child it was nigh impossible.

 

Somehow, despite that all, he reached the edge of the river that had been dry for the last hundred years. Getting out posed another problem – the bank was crumbling from the sudden pressure and he managed to throw both his passengers onto the drier land before hauling himself up. Shikamaru was right behind him, and Neji took the first of the two children, just in time to see a large mound of debris – just ahead of a wall of water – headed their way.

 

“Shikamaru,” he yelled. The Nara followed his gaze, and before Neji could react threw the remaining child at him. In the seconds it took Neji to grab her, pulling her out of danger, the house slammed into Shikamaru and the water rushed so fas and hard Neji was forced to move back as it tore the bank apart.

 

He shoved the boy at the eldest child, the girl Shikamaru had held, trying desperately to find Shikamaru. The Byakugan cut through the water, but so much debris – trees, rocks, human made – rushed through it so quickly and tumultuously all Neji could do was stare.

 

After a few seconds he roused himself scooping up the still unconscious woman and the smallest child. “Hold on to me,” he told the other two. They practically leapt to follow his instructions, little fingers gripping at his soaked pants. “We're going to the caves, up there,” Neji explained. “It will be dry there.” The little boy looked up at him, but he remained silent.

 

The trek to the caves took seemingly forever. Neji's side screamed in pain, his legs and arms felt like jelly. The children were stumbling over their feet, but the older girl seemed to refuse to give up, eventually letting go of Neji to support the boy.

 

A few feet from the caves a man came tumbling out, and for a second Neji didn't recognize him.

 

“Hyūga,” the man said, shoulders sagging. “Good, the rest of your team is here.”

 

“No, they aren't,” he said, only faintly aware of how flat his voice was, and of the startled look on Dōyou's face. “Your students are safe?”

 

“Yes, I sent them with the first wave, so they barely got wet,” Dōyou was a jōnin roughly five years Neji's senior, and a very beleaguered looking man. Still, he scooped up both the boy and the girl, leading Neji and his charges to the cave.

 

“You and you,” he said to the nearest men, “get her and the children as dry as you can.” The nodded, a third man standing to help them. Neji let him take the toddler as the other two eased the woman off his shoulder. He was a little surprised when the child tried to cling to him. Gently he took her little fist in his hand. “You go get dry with this man,” he said, “I'll be here if you need me.” Large dark eyes blinked at him until she finally let go.

 

Rolling his shoulder, and trying not to wince at the pain that roared up his side, Neji directed his gaze to the rest of the cave. Families and friends huddled together for warmth, shivering miserably. Watching them made Neji realize in turn how cold he was and he clenched his hands to keep them from shaking.

 

His team was easily spotted. Civilians huddled around them searching for both healing and a way to get warmer and drier, faster. Seigan, the youngest of his party, was blessed with a currently very handy variation on the standard kāton. He appeared to be warming rocks with it at the moment, but handed it off when he saw Neji. He stood so quickly that he almost toppled over, propped up by a nearby woman.

 

“Sir,” he said, “we've been following Dōyou-sama's orders...” he came to a halt. “Nara-sam-”

 

Neji didn't even let him finish.

 

“Cannot be helped until the storm passes,” Neji said, more firmly than he felt. All he wanted was to curl around one of those damn heated stones and fall asleep. Or go out and look. Instead he directed his gaze to the other member of his team.

 

Kitō had been a medic-nin since before Neji had been a chūnin, hell since before Neji had been a genin. Quiet and calm he was handling the situation very well. Neji nodded to him, stopping next to him as he splinted a young man's arm.

 

“Have you addressed the most serious injuries?” Kitō shook his head.

 

“No sir, you did just get here after all.”

 

Despite himself, Neji offered a small smile. “Then keep going. I will survive.”

 

“Well you've bounced back from worse,” the medic said, “and you're certainly tougher now than you were as a genin.” Neji just nodded, trying not to disprove him by crawling onto the free blanket he'd just spotted.

 

“Seigan, get back to work,” Neji said to distract himself. Seigan hurriedly sat back down in his spot, accepting the rock a teen age boy handed him. Another boy took the one he'd finished over to a family who were huddled together. “What do you need?” He asked Dōyou, unwilling to relax until he was out of things to do. Dōyou shook his head.

 

“Get dry and tended to,” he said. “There's really not much else to do. After the flood my team will head back as messengers, get relief and building teams in.” He looked outside. “These usually pass within a few hours,” he said. Neji nodded.

 

“Good,” was all he said, before leaning against the wall and waiting his turn to see Kitō.

* * *

True to Dōyou's word the storm passed before the night was over. Most people had managed to fall asleep, a handful agreeing to share guard duty with the shinobi. Neji's turn to watch the entrance came and went, and still he remained.

 

“You should sleep.” Dōyou stood a little further back, a steaming mug of something in his hands, “but you won't, so drink this.” Neji took the mug, wondering a little where he even got it, and sniffed.

 

“Coffee?” he asked, shaking it a bit. Suna-nin had a nasty habit of adding incredibly hot spices to their coffee, and the grinds, seemingly just for fun. Sometimes they threw in cocoa, presumably to further confuse the matter. Dōyou grinned, settling next to him.

 

“We poured yours before adding most of the peppers,” he said, “but drink it all the same. It will keep you awake and the peppers help with pain, somewhat.”

 

Neji relented, taking a sip and getting mostly foam for his troubles. There was a hint of spice and, naturally, cocoa, but it wasn't enough to be offensive. He was not, as it was, a huge fan of coffee, preferring the subtler palettes found in tea.

 

“How did you lose Nara-san?” he asked at last. Neji resisted the urge to tell the jōnin Shikamaru was not yet lost.

 

“A house hit him when he chose to save a child instead of risking both getting hit,” Neji said. He kept his voice as measured and even as ever, taking another sip of coffee to hide how tightly his lips pressed together.

 

Dōyou said nothing for a long moment. Neji didn't care. He knew what he would say, and he was prepared to shut him down entirely.

 

“Very few of those caught in it with you and your comrade will have survived,” he said at last. “If somehow they managed to stay conscious, gasping for breath whenever the rush allowed their heads above water they would break limbs and be suffering severe bruises that might kill them. If all that doesn't get them, then the heat, should rescue teams not find them in time, will get them.” Neji took another sip before answering.

 

“No one in my team is dead until I say they are, Dōyou-san.”

 

Dōyou, either for lack of response or an excess of wisdom, said nothing.

* * *

Sunrise came later in Wind country than it did in Fire Country, just as the sun set earlier. As such Neji and his team were moving before the sun had even breached the horizon, moving rapidly across the now calm desert. Despite that, the refrain _nine hours_ echoed in his head and heart beat.

 

Dōyou and his team ran along side him, two of them having broken off at the river to head back to Suna. Dōyou and a red haired young woman stayed. Dōyou had explained her presence by explaining she was a medic-nin in training, with two parents who worked in the medical field besides. Useful in ways the other two genin were not.

 

So far their search had turned up empty. Even running in grid, all they found was debris, tossed about by the murky waters which now sat almost perfectly still. It was about five minutes in they found the first body. It wasn't yet hot enough for anything to really have happened, and most of the animals were only now crawling out, so it was in tact, more or less. A small comfort.

 

After that, more and more people were found, either on the banks, left when the extra flood waters receded, or floating in the river. Those ones were bloated already while the ones on the banks fared a little better. They did what they could however, fetching the bodies from the water for the locals following behind at a much slower pace. Neji knew, deep down, that neither Dōyou nor his own team had any faith Shikamaru's fate would be any better.

 

Neji didn't have that luxury, however, of simply writing off Shikamaru. Not without a body. At the very least he owed Yoshino – and Ino and Chōji and several others – that much. Deep down, he thought he owed himself that much, too, maybe.

 

An hour and several bodies later, Neji's teeth were grinding in frustration. The Byakugan had never felt so useless, and Neji knew it was his own minor, well hidden panic. Taking a deep breath he stopped short, closing his eyes. Letting it out, and breathing again, he cleared his mind. Shikamaru was a comrade. He was resourceful, he was strong and he was overwhelmingly smart.

 

None of which mattered if he was unconscious, a little voice in his head said, but he pushed it away and took a cleansing breath.

 

Opening his eyes, he saw Sewa watching him, head tilted curiously. “Hyūga-san?”

 

“Just trying to think of it from a new point of view,” he said. “Keep moving.” She nodded, face set in a grimace.

 

“We're going to find him alive,” she told Neji as they moved, her eyes glued on the water, his eyes glued on nothing and everything. “Kankuro-sama says shinobi have to be tough.”

 

Neji's mouth managed to twitch into a smile, despite how very unamused he was. “Kankuro-san certainly isn't wrong,” Neji said, when a fluctuation of chakra, larger than found in animals or a dead body, caught his eyes. “Cross,” he barked, “south east along the bank, quarter of a mile.” Into his speaker he said, “possible location found, can you redirect, Kitō?”

 

“Yessir. We're parallel your current position, I'll break and rejoin with you at the cited location.” Neji didn't respond, the distance between himself and the source so short he didn't even need his Byakugan.

 

Deactivating it he came to a stop, practically diving to his knees as he searched for a pulse. Sewa was a handful of steps behind him came to a stop, panting. Neji found what he was looking for, a faint flutter and he closed his eyes briefly lest relief overwhelm him completely. Sewa was looking surprisingly optimistic as she held her hands over Shikamaru's prone form, green-blue emanating from them.

 

“Vomit, over there,” she said jerking her head. “So he was awake enough to do that and knew to stay on his side, just in case.”

 

Neji nodded, rocking back on his heels as Kitō landed next to them. Sewa smiled timidly at him, hands falling away. “I was running a diagnostic,” she said, looking down, a blush on her cheeks. “It's mostly broken bones and bruises...”

 

Kitō nodded, smiling at her as he bent to listen to Shikamaru's breathing. “Water messed up his lungs,” he said, “we'll have to watch for pneumonia onset, especially since the nights are so cold.” Neji stood.

 

“Am I needed here?” he asked. Kitō shook his head.

 

“I'll want to double check for spinal injuries. Dōyou said his team knows this is a rush job so rescue and disaster relief should be here in a half hour at most. They'll have stretchers, more medical supplies.” He waved Neji away, “I know what I'm doing.”

 

Without a word Neji turned back to Dōyou's position to rejoin the search.

* * *

Suna was as hot as ever, as Neji brought up the rear of the stragglers from the village. The injured, which included the woman he'd saved, Shikamaru and three others who'd survived the flood despite not making it to high grounds were all ready in the hospital, sent ahead before anyone else.

 

Somehow along the way Neji had ended up with the toddler once again. The villagers told him her name was Tomo, and that her parents were unaccounted for, but not presumed dead.

 

“They're herders, in the foot hills,” an old woman said as Suna's gates came into view. “They leave Tomo with Sukiya, she just inherited the job as local doctor.” Neji nodded along to the ramblings. Most of it went over his head. If he'd been less tired, however, he'd probably know the names of every person in the village. Her ramblings stopped short with a hitched breath. There was a rise followed by an abrupt fall in the crowd's noise.

 

Gaara stood at the gates, talking to the leader of the disaster relief team.

 

“Kazekage-sama himself,” the old woman said, sounding more impressed than reverential.

 

“Apparently so,” Neji said, shifting his grip on Tomo in case he needed to hand her off.

 

“I suppose you see kages all the time, shinobi-san.”

 

Neji shrugged, “as often as anyone who works for one,” he said. Gaara seemed to have noticed him, walking past the crowd, occasionally stopping to shake a hand or ask a question.

 

“Kazekage-sama,” he said, bowing slightly. With Tomo still hanging off him like a monkey it wasn't all that easy. “We're sorry we were not able to render our services more effectively.”

 

Gaara gave his usual flat little smile, wiggling his fingers at Tomo who giggled. “You were very prompt Hyūga-san,” the man assured him and cocked his head. “Would you like permission to go ahead and check on Shikamaru?” he asked and Neji didn't hesistate in answering.

 

“Only if I'm not needed here,” Neji said and Gaara's smile widened every so slightly.

 

“We can manage our own refugees,” he said and to Neji's mild surprise took Tomo from him. “Just give me her name and you can go ahead. I'm sure you can find it.”

 

“Tomo-chan,” Neji said, turning briefly to the old woman. “My thanks for your company, Shigure-sama, and your kindness, Kazekage-sama.”

 

They both waved him off, Gaara launching into a gentle intelligence gathering mission with Shigure.

* * *

 

Neji did not have a natural inclination toward architecture, but that didn't mean he couldn't be impressed by Sunagakure's hospital. On the surface it was a squat, sand coloured and didn't look like it was even big enough to hold all of an ER. Which it wasn't, and didn't. No, most of the building was, in fact, subterranean to save on cooling so they could focus resources on other aspects of health care. Ingenious, really and Neji knew many family homes followed suit, though you'd never guess from looking at Suna itself.

 

Neji could only assume Shikamaru must be fairly far below ground, given the rush with which he'd been taken to Suna. Not that he could really tell, given no one would tell him much other than a Nara Shikamaru was indeed in their custody. Apparently, Gaara had made it clear Shikamaru was to be well treated, and so they were wary of letting any unknown people in.

 

Neji tried not to take offence.

 

“Shiritori-san,” he said as calmly as he could. “I am, as you can see, a Konohagakure-nin, just like Nara Shikamaru and in fact I'm in this particular case his commanding officer as well as being a close friend of his so please, stop giving me the run around and tell me where to find him.”

 

Neji did not realize his voice had been growing steadily louder until a nurse coughed gently behind him and he realized the better part of the waiting room was staring. They quickly looked away when he levelled a room wide glare and the nurse gave him a calming smile and nodded to the secretary.

 

“It's okay Shiritori,” she said. “Let...”

 

“Hyūga.”

 

“Hyūga-san see to his friend, Konoha is our closest ally, they wouldn't do anything to endanger that or one of their own.”

 

Shiritori still seemed unsure but dutifully listed off a room and directions.

 

“Thank you,” Neji said before turning to the elevators, ignoring the loaded hush that followed him.

* * *

The numbering system for the floor was somewhat awkward, as subterranean floors in Konohagakure's hospital were in the minuses, but it wasn't that hard to just think of it as going up. Shikamaru was on the third floor, which was in fact actually the fourth below the ground, but they were listed as: ground floor, level zero, level one, and so forth.

 

It didn't look like it was 60 feet below the ground, other than the obvious lack of windows. The lighting, however, was obviously chosen to create a sunny feel and holders for plants had been carved into the walls to add some colour and, presumably, to clean the air and add ambiance. Nurses in blue-green and floral-printed off-pink, not all of the former male and not all of the later female, scuttled by, barely glancing his way.

 

Shikamaru's room was, likely on purpose, very near the nurse's station. Neji lingered in the door for a moment, just watching. Shikamaru was still in the bed, hooked up to a handful of IVs. Against the sheets and in the false light he looked far paler than usual, save for the black bruises that covered his arms and marred the side of his face Neji could see.

 

Neji watched the rise and fall of his chest – a little stilted and shallow but not otherwise worrying and Neji raked his activated Byakugan over ever painful inch. Deep bruises and healing fractures made up most of the damage, but his lungs were still slightly inflamed and his chakra was low, but he was definitely alive. And going to keep living.

 

He was so intent on cataloguing every injury, that Neji almost didn't notice when Shikamaru woke. For a long moment Neji just watched Shikamaru's face as he tried to take everything in, no doubt exhausted.

 

Walking forward, Shikamaru smiled ever so slightly, and only on the right side. The left was still likely painful, even with medications.

 

“Where am I?” Shikamaru asked, words slurred and eyes already drifting shut again. He struggled with that for a moment, lashes fluttering against sun-reddened cheeks. Neji gave an answering smile.

 

“Safe,” he said and Shikamaru mumbled something that sounded like _that's not a real answer_. Neji just pressed gentle lips to his forehead before anyone could come in and Neji had to be the detached, rational and impartial leader again.

 

“'s vague,” Shikamaru mumbled.

 

Neji shook his head, amused. “Well, then you're with me.”

 

Shikamaru pried a disapproving eye open. “Same thing,” he said and Neji blinked. “Still have no clue where I am.”

 

This time, Neji laughed just as a nurse bustled in.

 

“She'll tell you,” he told Shikamaru, “I have to report in.”

 

Shikamaru just hummed, breath evening out already and Neji turned on his heel, ignoring the nurse's side eye and heading back for the elevator.

 

But not before double checking the visitation hours.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the original fill for the prompt, but the first chapter is the "canon" fill for this series.

Neji struggled into consciousness slowly, body and head both aching like he'd just been hit by a mountain. Remembering the wall of water that he and Shikamaru had some how stumbled upon, it was an apt comparison. Recalling the villagers they'd also stumbled upon he sat up, eyes flying wide. A hand on his chest stopped him, and he managed to focus on Shikamaru. He was wet, dirt smudged and a nasty bruise covered half his face.

 

“Don't move dammit, you broke pretty much all the ribs on your left side.”

 

“You don't say,” Neji said, sitting up slower this time. “How about you? The villagers?”

 

“Took a house to the face,” Shikamaru said, “haven't slept since we arrived, just to be safe.”

 

“Good,” Neji said, leaning forward and pulling Shikamaru toward him. Shikamaru let him, eyes staying open though he looked beyond exhausted. Carefully, Neji lifted an arm, tilting Shikamaru's face toward the meagre light, covering one eye. The uncovered pupil contracted, and lifting the hand showed the other eye immediately following suit.

 

“Am I in the clear for a nap?” Shikamaru offered a smile, but it fell flat at the tinge of desperation in his voice.

 

“How long have you been awake, now?” Neji asked, looking around. They had stumbled upon five people struggling in the rising water during a thunderstorm. Naturally, they'd stopped to help. That had been about half a day after finishing their mission. The wall of water that hit them only seconds – maybe a minute it could be hard to tell – after they first reached the people was the last thing he remembered.

 

“It's been about a day since the flood,” Shikamaru said. “You were kind of in and out of it for a while.” Neji frowned.

 

“Concussion?”

 

“No, but turns out almost drowning really takes stuff out of a guy,” as he spoke he levered himself into a stand position, offering a hand to Neji. Neji took it, wincing at the pull.

 

“The people we found?”

 

Shikamaru jerked his head toward the fire. Two young children and a woman were arranged around it, the woman sleeping, both children huddled against her. “I couldn't get the other two,” Shikamaru said, “I almost had the other woman but...”

 

For the first time, Neji noticed the status of his shirt sleeves, and the dark welt like lacerations on his arm. “Kageyose?” he guessed, Shikamaru nodded.

 

“Not the most comfortable technique to have used on you, especially not in those situations, I know.” Neji brushed off the implied apology.

 

“Better than dying,” he said. “Take a nap, Shikamaru. There's not much we can do.” The storm still raged outside, an oddity in itself to Wind Country. Shikamaru nodded, shuffling over to the fire. He was down and out in seconds, curling on his side, face still arranged in a frown. The oldest child, a boy, immediately walked over with a blanket, arranging it across Shikamaru. He looked, to Neji, like some imitating something they'd seen time and time again. The woman jerked awake as her charge moved, looking confused.

 

“Good morning, shinobi-san,” she said, managing to sit up. “Your friend was worried.”

 

“Likewise,” Neji said, surveying the cave they were in. It was somewhat claustrophobic being long and narrow, but it was dry and sandy and obviously well above the water line. Something about it seemed off to Neji, however, and it took him a moment to realize what. Though the cave was obviously naturally formed – there was no shoring or tool marks – when he ran a hand over it he found the walls to be unnaturally smooth.

 

“Is something wrong, shinobi-san?” the woman asked, lifting the toddler into her lap, arms wrapping around the child tight.

 

“Hyūga Neji,” he corrected, “and no.” Working off a suspicion he crouched, burying his hand in the sandy flooring. After a moment of digging, he hit rock and the clay-like dirt usually found in these foot hills. “No nothing is wrong.”

 

Whether by accident or design, Shikamaru had found them an old stop over. He didn't see any signs pointing to it belonging to any one village, and there was minimal upkeep, from what he could see. It was possible it belonged to a family that had died out, or a village that had failed to prosper, or simply cleared it out after the war redrew national boundaries. Any of those were equally probable, given the state of the world, but it seemed unlikely even Shikamaru would know about this place.

 

“Do you know where exactly we are...” he trailed off, having no clue to her name.

 

“Sadako,” she replied, “and no I don't. I'm new to the area – I was a genin in Suna. They let me leave because I didn't have much talent for...being a ninja.”

 

“I'm sure you'd have found something eventually,” he said, not really paying attention. She gave a tired laugh. “Is there food?”

 

“Not that I know of. I didn't really look around. Your friend was rummaging around in the back, though.”

 

Ahh, Neji thought, that was why Sadako was still a genin. Inattentive, and apparently not very good at handling stress. He watched as she settled the children. Despite that, she'd found her calling somehow.

 

He walked to the back, breathing shallowly to regulate the pain in his ribs. In the back he found some old crates, wood rotted through. Water was dripping down the back of the cave, which explained the weathering despite the shelter from the elements. Inside the rotted cart, however, were several boxes and packages protected with seals. The seals weren't entirely familiar, but there did seem to be variations on the ones he knew for preserving different foods and medicines.

 

“Hyūga-san, do you need help?” Sadako had finally stood. The little boy was playing with the girl, drawing pictures in the sand. It was a sad picture, and Neji focused on the task at hand.

 

“Are you familiar with unravelling seals, Sadako-san?” there was an awkward silence. “Medical jutsu?” another silence. Neji pinched the bridge of his nose, “cooking?”

 

“Yes!” she said, “cooking I can do. And first aid.”

 

“Good. I'm going to start working on these, why don't you check Shikamaru over for anything he may have opted to hide from me.” She scrambled to do so, and Neji settled by the fire, ready for the tedious, and possibly dangerous, work of unsealing. After a few moments, a warm weight settled against him – the little girl.

 

Their eyes met, her large dark ones far too serious for her age. “Hi,” she said finally. Neji offered a small smile.

 

“Hello.” The little boy came closer.

 

“Her name is Tomo,” the boy said. “I'm Taro. She's too little to talk very much.”

 

“I am Neji,” he said. “You are not related to Sadako-san, are you?” The boy shook his head.

 

“I was with ane and nii-san,” he said. “They're gone now.” Neji didn't say anything for a moment. “Do you have a brother and sister?”

 

“I have cousins,” Neji said. “But no siblings.”

 

“Ane's not really my sister,” Taro said, “she's nii-san's wife. Tomo's my cousin. I take care of her.”

 

“That's good,” Neji said as the first seal came undone. There was only really three big variations on the seals, so once this was done it became easier. Opening the package he saw it was food.

 

“Do you take care of your cousins?”

 

Neji paused. “I do now,” he said. “I didn't always when I was younger.”

 

“Why not?”

 

Neji blinked slowly, the only outward sign of discomfort. “I was very sad and very angry about something,” he said, “so I wasn't always nice to people I loved.” Taro seemed to accept this, offering Tomo a rock. Immediately she put it in her mouth.

 

“Tomo!” the boy cried, even as Neji carefully coaxed it from her. Immediately, her eyes grew wet and Taro groaned. “No don't cry,” he said. “You're a little baby but don't cry.” Neji shushed him.

 

“She's just hungry,” he said, even as he tried to think of what exactly one fed a two year old. “Sadako-san.” No answer. He turned, “Sadako-san?”

 

She jerked awake from her position next to Shikamaru. Neji frowned, beckoning her forward. “Are you feeling well?” he asked. She shook her head lightly, gesturing to her temple.

 

“Head ache,” she admitted. He bit his tongue to keep from swearing.

 

“Come here and stay awake,” he ordered. “Shikamaru is tougher than he looks, he can manage without you.” He turned to Taro. “Taro-kun, I have a job, if you don't mind. Will you make sure Sadako-san stays awake?” Taro nodded rapidly, walking over to the woman. He turned to Tomo. “And you, do you like dried fruit?” he offered her a wedge of chewy but perfectly preserved peach along with the question.

 

The little girl took it, inspecting it before finally sticking it in her mouth and chewing. “Better than nothing,” he said, and picked up another package.

 

* * *

 

Neji woke a second time with far less difficulty than he had previously. His aches were in full force now, but he was much less exhausted and muddled than earlier. Some time during the night he'd ended up back to back with Shikamaru, and more oddly with a toddler tucked under his arm. Keeping his eyes closed and breath even he listened to the faint, out of place sounds getting closer which had woken him up.

 

Activating his Byakugan he easily spotted the incoming shinobi. They were Suna, which was in keeping with the fact the foot hills belonged to Wind Country, and armed with numerous rescue supplies – rope, several medics, emergency rations, and blessedly some water.

 

“Shikamaru,” he said, sitting up.

 

“Yeah, I got them,” the other ninja said though he remained prone. “Directly below us, right?”

 

“And headed the wrong way,” Neji said. Tomo came awake with nothing more than a blink, climbing into his lap without a word. “Good morning,” he said to her. Shikamaru, finally sitting up, turned to see who he was talking to and gave a chuckle. Tomo gave him a shy smile.

 

“Tomo, right?” Shikamaru asked, standing. “Would you like to meet some more shinobi?” Naturally she didn't answer, but Taro was roused enough to be down right enthusiastic.

 

“More shinobi? Suna shinobi?” he bounced up, rushing for the door. Shikamaru swore and leapt after him, scooping him up just before he reached the opening. “Heyyy,” the boy whined. “I want to see them.”

 

“You will in a moment,” Shikamaru said. Neji noted that though they appeared to have heard Taro, the Suna-nin didn't seem entirely sure where it had come from. “They headed our way?”

 

“I think the valley must warp sound,” Neji said, “they heard, but aren't coming toward us.” Shikamaru nodded and Taro looked at them with wide eyes.

 

“Are you in trouble?” he asked. “Are you enemies of Suna are they gonna-”

 

“Nothing like that,” Neji cut him off. “We just don't want to surprise them,” he looked to Shikamaru. “How did you even find this place?”

 

“By accident,” Shikamaru said before giving a sharp whistle. One of the Suna shinobi spun around. She looked to be the leader.

 

“Hello,” the woman called. “We're from Suna's disaster relief squad – we're looking for survivors of the flood. We won't hurt you.” Shikamaru gave Taro a nudge.

 

“Go say hi,” he said, “Neji and I need to move Sadako-san.” Taro nodded, and Neji let Tomo down. She latched onto her cousin, and Neji watched them go, toddling toward the cave mouth. Taro set up a stream of information for his cousin, walking slowly enough she could keep up without problem.

 

The minute they reached the cave mouth, Taro waving and yelling excitedly, the shinobi mobilized, and Neji turned back to helping Shikamaru with Sadako. She was limp and slow to rouse, but at least alive. Neji shook his head at Shikamaru.

 

“Didn't you check her for a concussion?”

 

Shikamaru gave him an unimpressed glare. “Yes, it's something else. I'm not an idiot.” Neji's return glare was just as unimpressed, but he didn't rise to the bait. Behind him, a rock crunched.

 

“Konoha?” a man called.

 

“Confirmed. Jōnin Hyūga Neji and Nara Shikamaru.” Neji said. “We've got a casualty, Suna genin by the name of Sadako.” The man came forward and Neji distantly recalled him from the war. That happened a lot.

 

“Konoha was wondering where you two got to,” he said, helping them with Sadako. “What's her prognosis?”

 

“Some sort of cerebral damage,” Neji said, “not a concussion but without a medic-nin we were in no condition to diagnose. What did Konoha want?”

 

“They were concerned when you checked in at the Wind-Volcano border, but failed to do so at the River-Fire border within the correct amount of time.” Neji frowned.

 

“We've been here two days?” he asked, the man nodded. He shared a look with Shikamaru.

 

“I thought I was getting thirsty,” was all the Nara said before they set out. Neji rolled his eyes at the statement, but didn't say no when the man immediately produced two water sacks.

 

“For the record,” Shikamaru said as the medics carted Sadako away, “I told you it would be quicker to go through Storm.”

 

“Well you're the one who got us lost,” Neji said.

 

“It was a temporary set back,” Shikamaru said. “We weren't lost. You would have found the way out without a problem.” Neji couldn't argue the point, but it was a matter of principle.

 

“We were definitely lost,” he said at last. “And it was definitely your fault.”

 

“Yeah yeah,” the Nara said, though Neji could see him tilt his head to hide his grin. “Troublesome Hyūga, always looking for something to pick at.”

 

“Lazy Nara, slept in a cave in the middle of nowhere for two days,” Neji said. Shikamaru gave a low snort, but didn't argue. One of the Suna-nin came forward.

 

“Are you sure you don't want to come back to Suna, the Kazekage was concerned when the message came through.” Neji nodded.

 

“Give Kazekaga-sama out regards,” he said, “but we're behind scheduled and needed at home.” Shikamaru nodded and Neji had to bite his tongue to stop from bringing up the word lost again. They watched the team leave, waving to Taro and Tomo who continued on until they turned a corner out of sight.

 

Shikamaru let out a breath next to him, sagging against the rock. “I am so ready to be in my own bed,” he said, taking a sip of his water.

 

“I wouldn't be opposed to being in your bed either,” Neji said, ignoring the way Shikamaru almost choked. “So let me lead. We don't want anything to go wrong.” He stretched, silently thankful to the medic-nin who'd healed him despite his protests. Then he leapt into action, scaling the sheer valley cliff with years of practised ease.

 

“Oh yeah, keep it up,” Shikamaru said, following step for step, “see how that works once we reach my bed.” Neji shook his head, and went a little faster. Bed or not, home was definitely where he needed to be as soon as possible.

 

If only so he could have a damn shower.

 


End file.
